معرفی
Dr Michael Stephenson is a Lecturer in Medicinal Organic Chemistry at the School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia (UEA). He is a member of the Chemistry of Life Processes research group and actively supervises PhD students. His research is situated at the intersection of Natural Product Chemistry and Synthetic Biology, with a focus on the biosynthesis of plant-derived triterpenes and their pharmaceutical applications.
- Institution: University of East Anglia
- School: School of Chemistry
- Department: School of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Position: Lecturer in Medicinal Organic Chemistry
- Email: M.Stephenson1@uea.ac.uk
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2594-1806
Education:
- MPharm (1st Class), University of East Anglia, 2006–2010
- PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, University of East Anglia, 2011–2015
Michael Stephenson's research investigates the biosynthesis of high-value natural products, particularly triterpenes, using agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. His group studies oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs), which catalyze the cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene into diverse triterpene scaffolds. A major breakthrough from his work was the 2019 discovery of a novel cyclization route leading to orysatinol, challenging the long-standing protosteryl/dammarenyl dichotomy in triterpene biosynthesis. This finding has significant implications for understanding natural product diversity and stereochemical assignments.
His recent publications (2022–2025) reveal a strong trend in elucidating biosynthetic pathways of medicinally relevant compounds such as saponin adjuvants and limonoids, often in collaboration with Professor Anne Osbourn. The work combines genetic, enzymatic, and synthetic biology approaches to improve preparative access to complex natural products. His research outputs span high-impact journals including Science, PNAS, and Journal of the American Chemical Society, indicating broad recognition in both chemistry and plant sciences.
Scientific Contributions:
- Discovered a novel triterpene cyclization pathway (orysatinol), challenging established biosynthetic dogma
- Elucidated key enzymes in protolimonoid and saponin biosynthesis
- Developed scalable plant-based platforms for triterpene production
- Contributed to understanding evolutionary links between sesquiterpene and triterpene biosynthesis
Research Grants and Projects:
- Active project: 'Synthesis of caged porphyrin-phthalocyanine assemblies' funded by the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Cultural Bureau (2023–2025)
Outreach and Engagement:
- Invited speaker at the Society of Chemical Industry Conference (2022)
- Engaged in school outreach, including a talk at Westcliff High School for Boys (2023)
Laboratory and Collaborations:
Michael leads a research group at UEA focused on plant synthetic biology and natural product discovery. He maintains strong collaborations with Professor Anne Osbourn (John Innes Centre) and international partners, as evidenced by multi-institutional publications. His lab utilizes cutting-edge techniques in metabolic engineering and transient expression to manipulate biosynthetic pathways and produce novel drug-like molecules.
